Rise in Dengue Fever Incidence Worldwide

The incidence of dengue fever has increased in recent decades, with the World Health Organization reporting half a million cases in 2000, rising to over 4.2 million cases in 2022, an eightfold increase over two decades. Raman Velaidhan, head of the Tropical Diseases Unit at the organization and coordinator of the dengue initiative, explained during a press conference held in Geneva that nearly half of the global population is at risk of contracting dengue fever, confirming that 400,000 people are infected each year. He noted that the viral infection is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans, and that most infected individuals do not show symptoms, recovering within a week to two weeks. He also mentioned that new tools are being developed for the prevention and control of dengue fever, including diagnostic tests and antiviral drugs currently in clinical trials, along with a vaccine available on the market and others in the final stages of trials and review. The World Health Organization indicated that the number of dengue cases may approach record levels this year due to factors such as global warming benefiting the mosquitoes that spread this type of fever.